Director J.J. Abrams is staying predictably tight-lipped about Star Wars: Episode VII, and at this point, I don’t really mind. We’re still at an relatively early stage, so this isn’t the “mystery box”. This is “the-movie-is-about-two-years-away”. EW, knowing that he wouldn’t go into any details, pitched him some more open-ended, non-specific questions about his general feelings regarding Star Wars and the upcoming sequel. As far as the previous six movies, he couldn’t really compare any of them to what he’s doing with Episode VII:

“Impossible for me to say because it’s going to be an evolving thing. I would say we are working really hard to make a movie that feels as emotional and authentic and exciting as possible. Whatever your favorite Star Wars movie is and how to compare it is really sort of subjective.”

The biggest takeaway from Abrams incredibly brief interview with EW was this snippet where he talked about any advice he’s received regarding what he should do with Episode VII:

“It’s been nice see that how important it is and to be reminded how important it is to so many people. We all know that [creator George Lucas’] dream has become almost a religion to some people. I remember reading a thing somewhere, someone wrote about just wanting [the new film] to feel real; to feel authentic. I remember I felt that way when I was 11 years old when I saw the first one. As much of a fairy tale as it was, it felt real. And to me, that is exactly right.”

That’s an encouraging statement from Abrams. It isn’t “real” in what has become synonymous with “gritty”. It’s real in that the Star Wars world feels like a real place, and I think that’s why the property has endured. The original trilogy is great (well, A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back are great; I have mixed feelings about Return of the Jedi), but it’s the places and cultures George Lucas built that have drawn people in. And if you need proof that Abrams is genuine in his statement of trying to make the movies feel real again, he’ll be shooting Episode VII on 35mm film, not digital. The film will also use practical effects as well as CG.